At the Botkin hospital died Galina Volchek, a people’s artist, artistic Director of the theater “Contemporary” — the last remaining survivor of its founders, Hero of Labor of the Russian Federation, full cavalier of the order “For merits before Fatherland”. Even last weekend, Galina was in the theatre for his play “whirlwind”, but the disease developed rapidly.
She was born in the family of a famous operator Boris Volchek, who directed with Mikhail Romm, the film “Lenin in October” and “Dream” with the inimitable author. But in a movie that was called dad’s office, the girl tried — raved theatre. At age 16 she entered the School-Studio of MKHAT. “I just knew: I want to die, I believe, and they believe in themselves or not even thought of, went ahead and everything,” said Galina Volchek.
Together with Ephraim, Evstigneev, Kvasha and Tabakov Volchek was involved in the birth of the Studio of young actors of the famous “Contemporary”. Then, in 1956, she will play her first role Nurki-slicers in the play “Forever living”.
Talented, passionate, she enthusiastically played a small role and assisted the artistic Director with productions.
“Efremov called me one day and said, “Gal, you do not worry, it means nothing, but we get you transferred from the actor to the Director”. I began to cry,” reminisced Volchek.
From statement to statement revealed her rare gift of the Director: “bottom”, “the Princess and the woodcutter”, “Ordinary story”, for which Volchek received the first of his four state awards.
In 1970 Efremov announced he was leaving the Moscow art theatre. The chief Director was Galina Volchek. Later she says: “To become a Director, I deliberately strangled himself actress”.
“When I work with artists, I live with them and from all” — long a century Volchek has remained the chief Director and artistic Director of the renowned stage:
“You know what to have, as they say, the work book or whatever, I don’t know. I’m in one place all your life.”
During this time, Galina has personally put over thirty stellar performances applauded by domestic and foreign audiences, and the tickets for performances of such plays as “the Cherry garden” “Three sisters,” “Pygmalion” people were standing in queues at the nights, has resulted in a “Contemporary” of their children and grandchildren. In the hall was a constant sell-out.
Galina Volchek became the first Soviet Director to break the cultural blockade between the Soviet Union and the United States. Visit the “contemporary” Americans were shocked by the power of her performances and wanted to show them at home:
“Then one woman of them, I’m gonna go ahead and say that it was called the special lady in America, took me by the hand and said: “Galina, I invite you to the staging of the play in Houston.”
In America, the troupe of the Galina Volchek was an extensive tour, the star performance on Broadway — “Three sisters” and “the Cherry orchard”. Don’t even go on stage, Volchek every show still literally lived together with his company. But she had a rich palette of movie, and which roles.
She didn’t know how to love without reciprocity, and believed in the theater in pure, undying the idea of art eternal.
“Believe what born any boy or girl or multiple boys and girls and will return to the concept of a genuine theatre. Such a theatre will not win no TV and no movies.”
It was called the first lady of “Sovremennik” theatre and main theatre lady of the country. It is, as nobody else was able to hear the theater and remain faithful to him always.
For Galina Borisovna has received numerous awards and recognition. In April 2017, she received from the President of the gold star “Hero of labour”. But still the gratitude of many generations of acting and love of millions of viewers for an incredible service to art and people, to whom she gave herself without reserve.